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AOBRD-to-ELD: Tech providers on data handling, hours changes, improving core and ancillary functionality

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Updated Dec 2, 2019

At the Great American Trucking Show in late August, reps from four electronic-logging-device and telematics providers joined Commercial Carrier Journal Senior Editor Aaron Huff for a roundtable on a variety of issues, including handling of data and issues of privacy and competition when it comes to that data. (Full video of the hour-long discussion is available above.)

Ken Evans, Founder and CEO of the Konexial company, which offers the My20 ELD, emphasized more than once during the discussion that, in his company’s view, ELD users should “have the expectation that your data and your privacy is yours,” yet granting access to a provider to some of that data could well provide opportunity. In Konexial’s case, its GoLoad service can set users up to easily make themselves “available to a broad market” of shippers, not brokers, directly engaging the service.

Its function isn’t like that of a load board in the traditional sense, Evans added, rather sending “opportunities directly to your phone” via an app. Evans’ emphasis on shipper-direct freight in GoLoad makes GoLoad one of at least two marketplaces that operate not as a broker but as a technology provider connecting shippers and carriers directly (the other is the RiteLoad company).

Tapan Chaudhari, TruckX founder and president, echoed Evans’ general thoughts on data ownership and expectations, particularly as it relates to access branching into third-party tracking providers now integrating with ELD providers. “We have taken a big stand on privacy,” Chaudhari said. “We do not integrate with third-party vendors” of track-and-trace services. “We give the control entirely to trucking companies. It’s easy to misuse and interpret that data in several ways.”

As did other panelists, Chaudhari pointed to services beyond basic e-log compliance that his company offers geared toward individual operators, like the ability to build-in periodic pre-deadline “notifications for documents [needing updating] like CDL renewal, medical certification,” and more.

“Nobody likes restrictions when those restrictions limit the time we have to make money – I hope today’s discussion will help us see how to make more money with the time we have available.

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